1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger and, more particularly, to a heat exchanger in which the passage of a refrigerant is varied in an air cooling operation and a heating operation.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, an air conditioner is an apparatus configured to include a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger, to cool or heat the interior of a room using a refrigerating cycle. That is, the air conditioner may include a cooler for cooling the interior of a room and a heater for heating the interior of a room. The air conditioner may also be formed in a combination cooling and heating air conditioner for cooling or heating the interior of a room.
If the air conditioner is formed in the combination cooling and heating air conditioner, the air conditioner further includes a 4-way valve for changing the passage of a refrigerant, compressed by the compressor, depending on an air cooling operation or a heating operation. That is, in the air cooling operation, the 4-way valve is controlled by a controller such that the refrigerant compressed by the compressor flows through the 4-way valve into the outdoor heat exchanger, and the outdoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser. Next, the refrigerant condensed by the outdoor heat exchanger is expanded by the expansion valve, and the expanded refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger. In this case, the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator. Next, the refrigerant evaporated by the indoor heat exchanger flows into the compressor through the 4-way valve.
Meanwhile, in the heating operation, the 4-way valve is controlled such that the refrigerant compressed by the compressor flows through the 4-way valve into the indoor heat exchanger, and the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser. Next, the refrigerant condensed by the indoor heat exchanger is expanded by the expansion valve, and the expanded refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger. In this case, the outdoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator. Next, the refrigerant evaporated by the outdoor heat exchanger flows into the compressor through the 4-way valve.